KJP for alliance with a party committed to nation building

We want to retain our individuality, says Yeddyurappa

“Karnataka Janata Party will not have a merger with any party as we want to retain our individuality,” B.S. Yeddyurappa said here on Sunday.

“We will have an alliance with a party that is committed to the development of the nation. We may also support such a party in other ways. But we will never have a merger,” the former Chief Minister told presspersons. He, however, said that his party workers were undecided on an alliance.

Modi’s name

He said that he had no objections to the BJP announcing Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi as its prime ministerial candidate in the Lok Sabha elections. “Mr. Modi is a visionary leader, with integrity and commitment. I will support his candidature,” he said.

Lok Sabha polls

The KJP will field 10 candidates in the Lok Sabha elections. “Our information is that the parliamentary polls will be held in November-December. Candidates for the other 18 constituencies will be decided after our alliance plans are finalised,” he said.

White Paper

Mr. Yeddyurappa criticised Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s budget as “full of empty promises and populist schemes”. “The Chief Minister is hiding the fact that the State’s finances are weak. He should come out with a White Paper on the State’s economy and participate in a public discussion on it,” he said.

Through the budget, Mr. Siddaramaiah has tried to develop only a few communities. Such narrow minded approach to development will not work, he said. He said that Mr. Siddaramaiah had initially tried to drop popular programmes such as Sakala, Bhagya Lakshmi, bicycles to girl students and incentives to organic farmers. “But when I condemned the plan, he issued a clarification saying these programmes would be continued,” he said.